Elevating attachment for awnings



(No Modelf) V1P. R. ASHLEY.

ELBVATING ATTAGHMBNTFUR AW'NINGS. N0. 512,087.

Patented Jan. 2, 1894.v

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S'ETS FRANK R. ASHLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,087, dated January 2, 1894.

Application tiled May 17, 1893- Serial lla/174,531. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. ASHLEY, of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Elevating Attachment for Awnings, of which the following is a full,olear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in awning attachments, and it has for its object to provide a device for elevating awnings, which maybe expeditiously and conveniently connected with any awning, and through the medium of which the awning may be raised or lowered from the inside of an apartment, for example, the elevating mechanism being concealed. l

.Another feature of the invention is to provide a device for manipulating awnings, which will be exceedingly simple and which may be operated in a convenient and likewise in an expeditiousmanner.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawmgs, forming apart of this specification,

'in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. f

Figure 1 is a vertical section through an awning and likewise through a portion of a door or window frame, the awning being shown in its lowered position. Fig.2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the awning being shown in its elevated or folded position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the weights employed; and Fig. at is a horizontal section through the weights, taken practically on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out the invention the awning A may be of any approved or desired type, and it is placed in position over the door or window opening B in the usual manner.

The operating device is adapted to be located in one side of the Window or door frame O, and the said device consists primarily of two weights 10 and 11 adapted to act in conjunction and to have movement to a greater 01 less degree within the frame O, the weights being concealed; and in addition to the weights, the device consists of ropes, cables or chains, two in number andv designated respectively as 12 and 13, and suitable pulleys over which the ropes, chains or cables are passed.

Two weights are used in the device, the larger or outer weight lO being made hollow, anditis open at its bottom and provided in its upper surface with an aperture 14, leading into its interior chamber 15. The weight 11, is solid, and is adapted to enter and snugly t Within the chamber 15 of the outerweight 10.` The smaller Weight ll, isprovided with a neck 11, which when the Weight is contained within the larger one extends out through the aperture 14 of thelatter, as shown in Fig. 3. The two weights are independent; one may be operated without the other, but at certain stages in the operation of the de- Vice the two weights work together. To that end brackets 1G,are located within the chamber in the frame in which the weights are placed, and when the larger weight is not in operation it rests upon the brackets 1,as shown in Fig. 2. The smaller weight has attached to its upper end the two ropes, cables or chains 12 and 13 above alluded to. The rope, chain or cable 12, is passed upward over a guide pulley 17, located within the frame at the top portion thereof, and the said rope, chain or cable 12, is connected with the front lower frame bar 1S of the awning, or is otherwise suitably attached to the awning in such manner that when the rope 12, is drawn downward the awning will be folded up close to the frame of the window or door over which it is located. The second rope, chain or cable 13, is likewise attached to the smaller weight, and is passed upward over a guide pulley 19, l0-

4cated preferably in an opening made to receive it in the inner face of the frame; and upon the upper surface of the inner face of the frame, near the guide pulley 19, a cleat 20, or the equivalent thereof, is placed, in order to attach thereto the outer end of the rope 13, which is the operating rope, and the one to be manipulated by the operator. Vhen the awning is in its upper or folded position, as shownin Fig. 2, the larger or outer weight 10 rests upon the brackets 16, while the smaller weight will be some distance below the larger weight and serves to maintain the awning in its folded position. When the awning is to be dropped, or placed in its open position, the rope 18, is pulled upon, and the smaller weight 1l, will be elevated and at the same time the awning will commence to unfold. As the smaller Weight ascends it will enter the larger weight, and the two weights will be drawn upward together. At the time that the two weights commence to travelupward, the awning will have been so far unfolded that its weight will be over the center, and consequently the weight of the awning wlll assist in carrying up the two weights. When the awninghas been fullydropped, the hoist line is made fast to the cleat 20, or whatever fastening device employed, and the position of the parts will be that shown in Fig. l. The two weights are carried upward and held in the upper position, in order that when the awning is to be raised the two weight-s dropping together will quickly fold the awning until it passes the centerline. Of course the weights can not act until the hoist line 13, is loosened, and after the awning has passed a central vertical line, the large weight will have reached the brackets 16 and will rest thereon, and the smaller weight continuing down will have sufficient power to fully close the awning. Thus the opening and the closing of the awning is gradual, and the weight of the device is so distributed that the operator will have no unnecessary weights to lift, and the weights both in acting upward and in acting downward just slightly overbalance the awning in either its upper or its lower p0- sition.

The meehanismvis concealed from View and is protected from the weather, and the awning may be manipulated from the inside of the room; furthermore, the device is so simple and economic that it may be applied to any awning lwherever a box frame is used.

To provide for making weights suitable for awnings of different sizes, I propose to make weights of several dierent sizes, and to provide for those of'intermediate Weights my plan is as follows: The weight should be cast with a hollow space inside, similar to a bucket, so that it may be filled with shot or other heavy substance until it becomes heavy enough to counterbalance the awning.

Many door casings are either made solid or made of hollow iron, so that it would appear difficult to adjust this device to an awning which is already in place, but this may beaccomplished by having a separate casing made (as ornamental as desired) and placed in any convenient position either inside the building or outside, as the distance between the casing and the awning will not make very much difference.

` Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenti a l. In an elevating and lowering device for awnings, two Weights, one having periodical connection with the other, a cable extending from one of the weights and having connection with the awning, and a second cable extending from the same weight to a predetermined point, the latter cable being the hoisting cable, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an elevating and lowering device for awnings, two weights adapted to travel in a pocket, one of the weights being provided with a chamber to receive the other weight, a cable attached to the smaller weight, passed through the larger one and adapted for connection with the awning to guide the same in the operation ot raising and lowering it, and a second or hoist rope, likewise connected with the smaller weight, which hoist rope is led to a convenient fastening device and secured, as and for the purpose specied.

3. The combination, with an awning and its support, the support being provided with a pocket, of two or more weights one smaller than the other, the larger weight having a chamber formed therein to receive the smaller one, whereby the smaller weight will lift up- Ward the larger one, brackets contained within the pocket and adapted as seats for the larger weight, a rope extending from the smaller weight through the larger one, the upper end of the rope being secured to the awning and being adapted to assist in folding the same, and a second rope attached to the smaller weight, likewise extending upward through the larger one, the second'rope being adapted for hoisting purposes, and being led out through the pocket to an exterior fastening device, as and for the purpose specified.

FRANK R. ASHLEY.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN G. SHAW, HARRY C. J AMES.

IOO 

